A good news snail story: This Alabama snail's recovering from brink of extinction

MOBILE, Alabama -- After earning a reputation among scientists for having the most animal extinctions in the lower 48 states, Alabama finally appears to be reversing that trend.

The state is now home to the first mollusk ever removed from the federal Endangered Species List because its population had rebounded.

Last week officials announced that the Tulotoma snail, a small aquatic snail native to the Coosa and Alabama rivers, would be reclassified as “threatened.” The change means the animal is still protected by federal law, but is no longer judged to be in imminent danger of extinction.

U.S. Fish &Wildlife ServiceDozens of Tulotoma snails, once nearly extinct, cling to a rock in the Coosa River. The snails, native only to Alabama, are the first mollusk in the nation to experience a population rebound.

“This is a big deal. It’s not something we get to celebrate very often,” said Jeff Powell, a senior aquatic biologist in the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service’s Daphne field office. “It’s the first mollusk in the United States where the status has improved.”

The news comes as a welcome surprise, given that 20 years ago the snail had been wiped out in about 99 percent of its historic range.

Thanks to the discovery of new populations in the Alabama River and conservation efforts including habitat protection and a promise from Alabama Power Co. to provide adequate water flows from its hydroelectric dams, the snail has returned to about 10 percent of its original range, federal officials said.

Beth Thomas, Alabama Power’s spokesperson in Mobile, said the company was proud of its role in bringing an animal “back from the brink of extinction.”

Powell has been working with the snail for eight years. He credited biologists working for the state of Alabama for their discovery of several new colonies of the snails in recent years.

Powell said biologists have long considered Alabama as the national leader in terms of the extinction of aquatic animals.

The state’s place as the king of lost animals stems in part from the stunning diversity in its streams and rivers. Even today, scientists say Alabama still boasts more species of freshwater fish, mussels, crawfish, turtles and snails than any other state.

The extinctions began when the state’s rivers were dammed for hydroelectric power and flood control beginning in the 1920s. Federal scientists have described the damming of the Coosa River as the single largest mass extinction event in the history of North America, with roughly 40 species lost.

But in recent years, a number of new animals have been discovered in Alabama, and a few that where thought to be extinct have been rediscovered.

“In the last eight years, we’ve got the new limpet in Chocolocco Creek. We’ve got a new limpet in the Cahaba. We’ve got two snails found in the Cahaba,” Powell said.

Powell said two things were necessary to reverse the extinction trend in Alabama. First, efforts need to be made to improve aquatic habitat, particularly in the smaller tributary streams along the state’s main rivers. He said that the state should ensure that smart land use practices are encouraged and environmental laws are enforced.

“Then, we need to work at reintroducing these animals into suitable habitat,” Powell said. “The reason most of these species are super rare is because the populations are limited to a few places. We need to spread them out so we don’t have all our eggs in one basket.”

He cited the newly created Alabama Aquatic Biodiversity Center, near the city of Marion in Perry County, as a key weapon in the fight against extinction. The facility is the largest of its kind in the nation, and is dedicated solely to restoring freshwater species that are in decline, from mussels and snails to fish.

State and federal records show that at least 67 aquatic species native to Alabama have been declared extinct. Another 54 species are classed as threatened or endangered.

“I think the Tulotoma snail is an indicator of all the species in Alabama,” Powell said. “In my opinion, it’s proof that the Clean Water Act is probably working after 30 years. It’s a glimmer of hope and suggests that species can come back.”